Balansa Slackline – Masters of Balance

Walking along stretchy webbing or a slackline is a sociable and fun outdoor activity with many beneficial effects:

∞ improved control of body, thoughts and emotions ∞ improved stabilisation, coordination, body posture and responsiveness ∞ improved focus and mindfulness ∞ relaxed perseverance in intense, stressful situations ∞ effective rehabilitation for joint injuries and preventive care ∞ and many other side effects which you can put to good use also in everyday life! More at >>

Balance?

Walking along a slack line requires balance. Our balance depends upon how fast we perceive movements, how quickly our body responds and the quality of these responses. We become faster when we start to better recognize intuitive, unconscious impulses and stop relying on rational control which is too slow for this activity. Practising balance also offers an intense workout for our brain which in turn responds with greater creativity and resourcefulness. Balance is a constant interplay between our rational mind, ego, convictions and intuition.

Level of difficulty?

Participants of our workshops for beginners learn to make at least 5 steps on a trembling line of webbing in 2 hours even if they first thought that they lack the necessary balance. The larger part of the balance game plays out in our head!

Flow

Flow is a psychophysical state of optimal experience (Csikszentmihalyi, 1990) and is closely linked to walking along a slackline. In the state of flow we can find solutions to even the most challenging tasks in a relaxed manner and even perceive them as play. Research shows that, by means of walking on a slackline, we can efficiently train and also prolong the state of flow. In order for flow to occur, four key conditions must be fulfilled:

we know every following step;

we receive immediate feedback on our progress;

the problem being solved just matches our existing skill level;

complete focus.

Since we can easily adjust the first three conditions and train the fourth one, slacklining is a fantastic tool to learn the principles of flow. Read more in developing skills.